The Fall Food Fest

Food. It is what makes my world go round. More precisely, it is what connects my world. It nourishes, it excites. For the 4th year running, I had my annual potluck fall food fest. It started in 2006 as a housewarming where I unveiled my hand-decorated wood kitchen table to a group of five close girlfriends. My kitchen table has the words "To eat, and to drink, and to be merry" scripted around its circumference. That is pretty much the mantra of Fall Food Fest, which celebrates the nostalgia of autumns past in the North -- apples, cinnamon, pies, stews, comfort food. From such small beginnings, the celebration has expanded to more than 30 people attending each year, filling my backyard and my home with gloriously executed recipes.

I promised some friends and family that this year I would take photos. I broke my promise. May my words be enough to satisfy. The weather cooperated completely, and the night was cool and perfectly clear. As usual, the tasty beverages of fall -- wine, cider, pumpkin beer -- were downstairs, outside. The fire pit was a blaze of freshly felled oak from Kathryn's yard. A mellow soundtrack drifted across the yard from stereo perched in the windows in my living room. Along the walk, two tables with candles housed all cold dishes. As guests arrived, they covered the table with pumpkin pie, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin cranberry bars, pumpkin cheese dip, pumpkin butter dip, apple chocolate chip pie, guacamole, spicy mexican dip, and more. Inside, on all available surfaces, hot dishes were placed -- macaroni and cheese, stuffed mushrooms, Cincinnati chili dip, vegetable casserole, spinach dip, turkey chili, butternut squash soup, shrimp stew, and sweet potato crisp. Not one dish went untouched or unmaimed. We all did some serious damage to all that was available.

This year's party petered out a little after 10 PM, as several folks had just recently returned to town and were settling back in. Some folks even arrived back into town that night, and drove straight to the Fest!! They won the macaroni and cheese casserole for their efforts. Everyone went home with favors: little brown gift bags filled with Reese's pieces, candy corn, and Smarties. Compared to last year, things were a little more mellow this year, but better organized. One, I did not have the flu, and I was running on all cylinders (I was even able to taste the full flavor of the food!). Two, I had more tables outside, which improved the traffic flow. And three, there were fewer people able to come. Clean up, however, was a snap, and my friend Katie and I were amazed. Other than the remaining fall leaf decorations, and altered furniture arrangements in my apartment, it seemed as if a party never happened -- no food on the floor, no dishes piled in the sink, and hardly a leftover!

Half the fun of having the Food Fest is that each year is different, with different dishes, but every year has treated me to great laughs, great food, and wonderful friends. Next year, I will work on the ambient lighting. It was a little difficult to see what the dishes were on the outside table, making that first bite a bit of an adventure. Food allergies have no place at this party! I love what my little Fall Food Fest has turned into -- a night of conversation and culinary delights with friends new and old. Thank you everyone that brings a dish to share, and enthusiastically partakes in all the dishes available. I could not ask to sit by a fire, on a cool Florida evening, with any folks finer than all of you. Until next year, keep perfecting those wonderful recipes!

Sarah Too